Method of making decorative mat coverings of the flexible sheet type



May 18, 1954 2,678,896

A. DRATLER METHOD OF MAKING DECORATIVE MAT COVERINGS OF THE FLEXIBLE SHEET TYPE Filed Feb. 6, 1950 FIG. I

INVENTOR. ALBERT DRATLER I "35- mama;

Patented May 18, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF MAKING DECORATIVE MAT COVERINGS OF THE FLEXIBLE SHEET TYPE Albert Dratler, West Palm Beach, Fla., assignor to Glass Mosaic Corporation of America, a corporation of Florida Application February 6, 1950, Serial No. 142,659

31, 1949 now abandoned. Mats of the type to which my invention has particular application have utility in the ornamental surface finishing of Walls, floors, ceilings, columns and the like, and in the execution of signs, devices, lettering and like designs and motifs.

' The invention has for an object to provide a decorative mat covering which may be readily and economically manufactured, which may be conveniently and efiiciently applied to building construction members, and which will readily conform to the surfaces supporting the same.-

A further object is to provide a method. of making a mat for the purposes described, which will be efiicient and economical in practice and simple and relatively rapid in execution.

Another object is to provide a decorative mat covering in which a variety of ornamental designs may be arranged with facility and economy.

These and other advantages of my invention will be discernible from the detailed description thereof hereinafter set forth.

According to the invention, the decorative mat covering is constructed upon a primary backing of flexible sheet characteristics of any suitable material permitting the installation thereof against conventional building surfaces or grounds for permanent adhesion thereto. Arranged upon the outer surface of this primary backing is a plurality of tile pieces of glass, ceramics, or like ornamental substances which may be formed or fitted together to efiect a mosaic pattern of any desired shapes or designs, these tiles being customarily spaced apart about their marginal edges to provide ornamental joints which may be pointed up to produce a harmonizing and pleasing surface finish.

Interposed between the primary backing and the tile pieces carried thereby, is a lamination of buckram cloth, or like substance, having the essential characteristic of ready oxidation by heating, the buckram having been pre-treated with any disintegration-promoting agent, such as sulphuric acid, whereby when the mat assembly is heated, the buckram will undergo substantial decomposition or fall away. The back faces of the tile pieces are united to the primary backing with any suitable adhesive known in the art,

this adhesive penetrating the buckram whichserves in my method to support the tile pieces in their design arrangement for transfer to the primary backing.

My invention is exemplified by the mat covering shown in the accompanying drawing in which the views are as follows, like reference numerals designating analogous parts throughout the several figures:

Fig. 1, a fragmentary plan of one form of mat structure to which the invention may be applied;

Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section taken through a row of tiles as depicted in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3, an enlarged fragmentary plan of the mat in one of the phases of its construction.

Illustrated in Fig. 1 i a form of my invention wherein I provide a primary backing l composed of any material suitable for installation against a building construction surface for permanent adhesion thereto. This backing may be of cork, wirecloth or other sheet flexible substance conventional in the art and adapted to withstand the deteriorating effects of dampness, handling in installing, etc.

overlying the primary backing is a layer of buckram strips 2 upon each of which is arranged a plurality of tile pieces 3, of glass, stone, ceramice, or other ornamental material selected for the particular design or device which it is desired to produce. The strips are spaced relative to each other to provide marginal channels 4, and the tiles are likewise spaced laterally of each other to form joints which are fillable with a suitable pointing material, as at 5.

An adhesive substance suitable for uniting the tiles 3 to the primary backing I, is then applied intermediate these members, this adhesive penetrating through the strips 2. The adhesive may be any of the well known compositions used by those skilled in the art, but preferably of characteristics to resist heat applied in the practice of other forms of the invention.

It will be seen that when the tiles are arranged upon the strips, which are in turn arranged upon the primary backing, the uniting phase of my method is accomplished in a single operation.

Again, the strips are shiftable relative to each other so as to position the tiles in staggered relation whereby to produce the desired pattern in mosaic arrangement, at the same time that the intermediate backing formed by the strips permits the adhesive to penetrate therethrough to bond the tiles to the primary backing. Thus, the operations involved in bonding the tiles to an intermediate strip backing and then, in turn, bonding the intermediate backing to a primary backing, are reduced to the single step of bonding the tiles to the primary backing directly through an adhesive penetrating the intermediate backing.

Fig. 3 illustrates the application of my invention to a single piece of intermediate backing 6, of buckram or like reticulatedmaterial. A characteristic of this fabric is that it shall disintegrate relatively early in the installation of the mat, or when pre-treated as hereinbefore described, to disintegrate or fall away upon the application of heat, as in an oven or like heating chamber within which the assembled mat may be deposited. The tiles 3 may be arranged upon the buckram 6 in any desired-formation, leaving marginal spaces 1 between the a'djacent. tile pieces. With the adhesive interposed between the tiles and primary backing, and having penetrated the buckram 6, the mat may be'exposed to heat to decompose the buckram. The assembled layers constituting the mat having been united, with suitable compression exerted thereupon if desired, the spaces 1 may be pointedup after the installation of the mat upon its supporting surface.

It is to be understood that the primary backing 1 may be of a wire-cloth in the practice of this invention and in this form, the spaces 1 provide a through interstice intermediate the supporting surface .and the outer surface of the mat. Thus, a bondingagent, such as cement, pointing compound, or the like, may be cast into these spaces wherebyto. supplement t -e bonding characteristics of the mat to the supporting surface thereof.

Of course, the invention is suceptible to various modifications thereofv without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention andthe mode of its practice, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

' 1. The herein described method for making a decorative mat covering, comprising the steps of treating a reticulated fabric intermediate backing with a fabric-degenerating agent responsive to heat, interposing the intermediate backing between a primary backing and an outer layer of ornametal tiles, applying an adhesive to the intermediate backing for penetration therethrough to cement the tiles to the primary backing, and

subjecting the mat assembly to heat for the degeneration of said intermediate backing whereby to effect the intimate bonding of the tiles to said primary backing.

2. The herein described method for making a decorative mat covering,.comprising the steps of treating a reticulated fabric intermediate backing with sulphuric acid to promote the degeneration thereof on application of heat thereto, interposing the treated fabric between a primary backing. and an outer layer of tiles, applying an adhesive to the intermediate backing for penetration therethrough to cement the tiles to the primary backing, and subjecting the resultant :mat assembly to heating for the degeneration of the intermediate, backing whereby to effect the intimate bonding of said tiles with the primary References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 476,354 Ams June "I, 1892 712,168 Worth Oct. 28, 1902 723,604 Heartfield Mar. 24,- 1903 738,704 Semmer Sept. 8, 1903 1,024,687 Janpole Apr. 30,1912 1,538,905 Parish May 26, 1925 1,796,272 Stanbrough Mar. 10,1931 1,925,460 Pegram Sept. 5, 1933 1,994,644 Harshberger Mar. 19, 1935 2,281,027 Dennison Apr. 28, 1942 

1. THE HEREIN DESCRIBED METHOD FOR MAKING A DECORATIVE MAT COVERING, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF TREATING A RETICULATED FABRIC INTERMEDIATE BACKING WITH A FABRIC-DEGENERATING AGENT RESPONSIVE TO HEAT, INTERPOSING THE INTERMEDIATE BACKING BETWEEN A PRIMARY BACKING AND AN OUTER LAYER OF ORNAMETAL TILES, APPLYING AN ADHESIVE TO THE IN- 